Posts by tag: TZ500

Update 5.23.2012: This bike is back on eBay and at a significant discount compared to it's $100k buy-it-now when listed in late March. Now listed for nearly half the original asking, it seemed an appropriate time to bump this post with Mike's post on the TZ750 OW31 for sale today. Links updated. -dc

1982 was the end: the end of the customer Yamaha TZ500. The TZ500 was a direct response to RGB500's lining up on grand prix grids. From what I can gather the TZ500 did not enjoy quite the success of other TZ models. I did see comments such as "ill handling" and "under powered". That was back in the day though, now everything from that era could be considered ill handling. Owning a bike like the TZ500 now is about either relieving the era on the track or enjoying it in a collection.

You have carbs coming and going. The two outside cylinders are positioned in the opposite direction of the inner two. The seller states the cylinders aren't the originals. Are any RSBFS readers knowledgeable enough to know what the new cylinders are: Yamaha kit, aftermarket? Stock, it pumped out approximately 110+HP. Note the mechanically operated power valves. That had to be new tech back in 82.

The money shot.

The info:

1982 YAMAHA TZ500 J OW48R . THIS IS A ONE OWNER BIKE FROM NEW. IT WAS IMPORTED IN 4/83 FROM THE YAMAHA AMSTERDAM DISTRIBUTORS. IT WAS ORIGINALLY ORDERED FOR SON AUTO OF FRANCE, BUT THEY DID NOT TAKE DELIVERY.IT IS COMPLETELY STOCK AND ORIGINAL EXCEPT FOR THE LECTRON HI-VELOCITY POWER JET 38MM CARBS. AS WELL AS THE FRONT BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER IS NOT ORIGINAL. ALL BODY PANELS ARE ORIGINAL. INCLUDED WITH BIKE IS THE ORIGINAL SPARES KIT WHICH INCLUDES CRANKS, PISTONS , CYLINDERS, GEAR SETS. SPOCKETS,BEARINGS,ETC. SOME PARTS ARE USED SOME ARE NEW.ALSO WILL INCLUDE AN ORIGINAL OWNERS MANUAL AND PARTS MANUAL.. THIS IS A LOW MILE EXAMPLE WITH ONLY 1200 MILES ON BIKE AND ONLY 200 MILES ON FRESH ENGINE.THIS BIKE WAS ONE OF ONLY 4 BROUGHT INTO USA IN 1983, EXTREMELY RARE. THE OW48R FACTORY RACER WAS KENNY ROBERTS FAVORITE RACE BIKE!THIS BIKE IS FASTER AND BETTER HANDLING THAN A TZ750!THIS WAS THE LAST MODEL PRODUCTION 500CC RACER AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC FROM YAMAHA! IT HAS NEVER BEEN CRASHED OR ABUSED.THERE IS ONE SMALL DENT IN TOP OF TANK, COULD BE DENT BUSTEDOR FILLED.BUYER WILL PAY FOR ALL SHIPPING AND HANDLING CHARGES. I WILL ASSIST IN GETTING BIKE SHIPPED. $1000 DEPOSIT TO PAYPAL WITHIN 24 HOURS OF END OF AUCTION BALANCE BY WIRE TRANSFER FROM USA BANK WITHIN 5 BUSINESS DAYS. ANY OVERSEAS BIDDERS MUST CONTACT ME BEFORE BIDDING PLEASE.

Since a true OW works YZR stroker isn't in the cards for us mere mortals the TZ500 is about as close as you can get. Price? Well, it is up there: the seller is asking $99,999.99 OBO. I almost forgot the 99 cents. I can't seem to find the source again but I believe they originally sold for $14,000 and that was considered pricey back in the early 80's. Feel free to comment if I'm off on that number. For a price comparison, I've seen a collector quality 1981 TZ500 go for 37,400 British Pounds. That is roughly $60,000. It is nice that the bike is mostly stock and the spares kit would be cool but I think the seller is reaching a bit on the price. He is open to offers though so don't be shy.

I apologize in advance, I sat on this one and the auction is nearing its' end. This isn't a museum piece and it isn't original but that is what I like about it. It has been modernized a bit and is ready for your local track. To be truthful this could have been put together with tape and I would have posted it, I'm just a sucker for those snake like chambers that grace the TZ500. Another benefit of not being a collector type TZ500 is that it is affordable for a much larger range of people. Maybe it is still overpriced since no one has taken the BIN price.

There they are! Someone from Georgia (it's located in Canton, GA) please buy this thing so I can try to bum a lap on it. I'm truly intrigued by what it would be like to ride a race bred 500cc two stroke.

Question, questions. Anyone heard of JPK that did the engine work? How about the power valves: titanium and pneumatic? Someone please explain that mod to little ole me. Who has a guess what the swing arm was stolen from?

It just simply looks like fun. The sound of the damn thing might be worth the price.

Ah, the days of the customer race bike. How times have changed. Two strokes have been killed, customer race bikes are a thing of the past and racing, well is hurting. I know the economy has put a hurt on everything but I think some of the decisions made in the not to distant past have combined to slowly but surely hurt racing. Let me climb off my soapbox now and have look at what we have here.

You don't see a TZ500 everyday! This was Yamaha's answer to Suzuki's RGB500's that had quite a bit of success back in the late 70's and early 80's. This particular bike has had a restoration (how complete I don't know). It looks to have been painted to replicate the bike Barry Sheene rode in 1980. This is where it gets a bit confusing. It is advertised as Barry Sheene's Team Akai TZ500H (is it a bad sign they misspelled "Sheene" in the ad?). From what I can gather, Sheene rode full works Yamaha back in 1980. So, I'm not sure if this a replica or a bike Sheene rode in some capacity. I'm sure there are plenty of you out there that know more than me so please be sure to comment.

How the hell does that top pipe not cook your leg? They do look nasty though poking out from everywhere. The bike was formerly owned by racer Steve Parrish and had its' restoration done in 1994. I didn't inlcude anything else from the auction as it is just TZ500 history. You are going to have to tap that keyboard or pick up the phone to get the details on this pretty bike. Can you think of 60,000 reasons you'd like to add this bike to your collection? Bidding is starting at $60,000. I don't know how reasonable that is but a restored 81 TZ500 sold in England for 37,400 pounds (roughly $59,000).

Located in Sydney, Australia is a Yamaha TZ500G. These bikes usually come available through word-of-mouth but this one has been posted on North American Two Strokes. This bike was entered by Hailwood & Gould for the Senior TT in 1980 and piloted by Jim Scaysbrook. To quote the seller:

...perfect condition,full history from new including IOM (Isle of Man) very original down to the factory wooden crate for the original spare parts kit which will be supplied
would suit show or race/parade
standard wire wheels and brakes
standard pipes and mufflers
standard hand and foot controls
standard new fairing /seat /mudguard ,
the gearbox comes set up with standard ratio's also comes with a variety of new and used alternate ratio's and shafts as supplied by the factory (not arco)
a Yamaha spare parts kit can be supplied in the original spare parts crate if required ,i.e.,4-new cylinders ,2-new heads, spare gear ratio's ,gaskets etc
the original Yamaha fairing and two seats will be provided.

The asking price is 34,000 Euro delivered. Now, I assume everyone knows, this bike isn't for the faint-hearted; it will be very expensive to run and will require a vast amount of--specific--knowledge. The only reason I mention this is, like everyone else, I'm think "A very nicely equipped 5-Series BMW, or this..." See the bike on NATS here.

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